In a real world follow-up to this post on job search scams, a job seeker reported today that he has received two money orders (totalling $1500) from a mystery shopping job offer he replied to on craigslist.
Though he was suspicious of the checks' legitimacy, he had a small hope that it was a real opportunity. The job seeker gave me copies of the emails, and it appears to be a check-cashing scheme operating under the cover of mystery shopping. It was even being done under the name of a legitimate mystery/secret shopping company. The instructions were to cash the money orders, spend some of the money on shopping assignments, keep $150 per assignment, and wire the remainder back to an individual in another state while emailing scanned copies of the receipts and a report on the shopping assignment.
Suspicious elements that I pointed out to the job seeker:
1. He had never been interviewed or screened for the job. His only communication with the company was his email response via craigslist. Legitimate companies don't send $1500 to a stranger.
2. Reputable mystery shopper organizations frequently offer reimbursements on expenses as opposed to paying those costs upfront.
3. The "employer" was doing business through a free gmail account.
4. The company address was in Washington state, but instructions were to wire money to an individual in North Carolina
4. There was unusual pressure being applied as the "employer" stressed that the assignment needed to be completed within 24 hours.
5. The "employer" was asking for funds to be transferred to a name other than his own.
Basic safeguards I warn job seekers of:
1. Stay away from offers that charge a fee.
2. Stay away from offers that involve transferring money.
The prevalence of scams in the current job market is an opportunity for a onestop workshop topic: protecting oneself from identity theft and employment scams during a job search. Jobseekers who are new to the internet need to know what information should not be divulged and how to spot legitimate recruiters.
Mystery shopping resources:
Federal Trade Commission mystery shopping page
National Shopping Services Network (includes a section for scam alerts)
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Thursday, March 26, 2009
After these messages: Jobs!
Workforce Solutions (Lower Rio Grande Workforce Development Board) and Workforce Solutions Cameron (Cameron County WDB) will be participating in a televised job-a-thon on April 1st.
The job-a-thon will air on KRGV Newschannel 5 (Rio Grande Valley's ABC affiliate) throughout next Wednesday. Live segments will air from various onestop centers showcasing both employers and jobseekers. Traditional job fairs will be held the same day at the local onestops, which will allow jobseekers to reach employers without having to go on television.
While it's easy to imagine most employers are interested in the free advertising while announcing job openings, this may be quite a challenge for jobseekers. I would certainly be impressed by a candidate who is able to go on live tv and make a good pitch to employers.
The job-a-thon will air on KRGV Newschannel 5 (Rio Grande Valley's ABC affiliate) throughout next Wednesday. Live segments will air from various onestop centers showcasing both employers and jobseekers. Traditional job fairs will be held the same day at the local onestops, which will allow jobseekers to reach employers without having to go on television.
While it's easy to imagine most employers are interested in the free advertising while announcing job openings, this may be quite a challenge for jobseekers. I would certainly be impressed by a candidate who is able to go on live tv and make a good pitch to employers.
Pssst...wanna buy a job...it's cheap?
I found a news article from the Enid News and Eagle (Enid, OK) warning of a scam targeting clients of Oklahoma's unemployment services. The perpetrators attempt to charge a fee for providing services that are free through the Oklahoma Unemployment Commission or Workforce Oklahoma.
Identifying scams and educating job seekers of them part of the hidden job duties of employment specialists.
Other scams to watch out for, most of which I've seen firsthand with jobseekers I serve:
Fake job postings, especially on free craigslist sites, that are either tools for spam, avenues to gain access to personal information, or are looking for participants in fraudulent schemes.
Spam job search sites, which require an extensive registration process that goes through many opt-out advertising offers and includes sensitive information such as social security numbers.
Re-mailing and fund transferring schemes.
A classic that happened in a onestop system I worked in: individuals posing as recruiters took advantage of onestop center conference rooms available to employers in order to receive applications and conduct interviews for imaginary jobs, which was a method of gaining personal information from dozens of jobseekers. Organizational policies changed to require verification of all employers conducting business through the onestop.
Work-at-home or buy-a-business scams seem to be lower risks to me because they require high upfront payments which the jobseekers I have worked with are not willing or able to pay.
Identifying scams and educating job seekers of them part of the hidden job duties of employment specialists.
Other scams to watch out for, most of which I've seen firsthand with jobseekers I serve:
Fake job postings, especially on free craigslist sites, that are either tools for spam, avenues to gain access to personal information, or are looking for participants in fraudulent schemes.
Spam job search sites, which require an extensive registration process that goes through many opt-out advertising offers and includes sensitive information such as social security numbers.
Re-mailing and fund transferring schemes.
A classic that happened in a onestop system I worked in: individuals posing as recruiters took advantage of onestop center conference rooms available to employers in order to receive applications and conduct interviews for imaginary jobs, which was a method of gaining personal information from dozens of jobseekers. Organizational policies changed to require verification of all employers conducting business through the onestop.
Work-at-home or buy-a-business scams seem to be lower risks to me because they require high upfront payments which the jobseekers I have worked with are not willing or able to pay.
Monday, March 23, 2009
And we're back: Self-Motivation and Employment Services
While on vacation and reading through old magazines, I found an article in a 2008 Men's Health about motivation that can be applied to onestop customers.
The article, The Psychology of Motivation, compares the techniques of a successful college football coach with self-determination theory first articulated and later refined by psychologists at the University of Rochester.
The article highlights three factors of self-determination theory that can be applied to program planning and case management:
1. Autonomy: "the choice to do it was made by you, not somebody else." Self-motivated individuals will do better than those who are simply serving a parole/probation officer, case manager, or fulfilling other requirements imposed on them by others. Part of assessment should be to gauge what motivates a customer. Is it external or internal, or a combination of both? Program language, materials, and activities should emphasize the personal benefits of employment and training.
2. Competence: "you know what you're doing, or at least are becoming better at it." Job-search is a challenging activity with many opportunities for feeling like a failure, such as rejection letters and tough interviews. Customers need to feel prepared for the challenge, and need practice that will build confidence. Verbal praise, achievable short-term goals, and other confidence boosters will help customers stay motivated.
3. Relatedness: "the activity connects you in some way to the other people." Unemployment and job-search are isolating activities. Self-directed work in a onestop can continue that feeling of being on one's own. Tools to combat this by providing interconnectedness include case management (with a consistent relationship between staff and customer) and group activities: workshops, networking, training, etc. Jobseekers who are part of a group will push each other to work harder and can create rewarding relationships that bring another motivation to continue in the group.
Another interesting item from self-determination theory is the idea that outside influences can undermine intrinsic motivation. Incentives and support services need to be carefully distributed in order to hold their value as tools for jobseeking.
Also, a major point of the article is that a person is more likely to do something if they consider it fun than if they find it to be a chore (makes sense, doesn't it?). The challenge for employment specialists is to turn job search into something fun.
The article, The Psychology of Motivation, compares the techniques of a successful college football coach with self-determination theory first articulated and later refined by psychologists at the University of Rochester.
The article highlights three factors of self-determination theory that can be applied to program planning and case management:
1. Autonomy: "the choice to do it was made by you, not somebody else." Self-motivated individuals will do better than those who are simply serving a parole/probation officer, case manager, or fulfilling other requirements imposed on them by others. Part of assessment should be to gauge what motivates a customer. Is it external or internal, or a combination of both? Program language, materials, and activities should emphasize the personal benefits of employment and training.
2. Competence: "you know what you're doing, or at least are becoming better at it." Job-search is a challenging activity with many opportunities for feeling like a failure, such as rejection letters and tough interviews. Customers need to feel prepared for the challenge, and need practice that will build confidence. Verbal praise, achievable short-term goals, and other confidence boosters will help customers stay motivated.
3. Relatedness: "the activity connects you in some way to the other people." Unemployment and job-search are isolating activities. Self-directed work in a onestop can continue that feeling of being on one's own. Tools to combat this by providing interconnectedness include case management (with a consistent relationship between staff and customer) and group activities: workshops, networking, training, etc. Jobseekers who are part of a group will push each other to work harder and can create rewarding relationships that bring another motivation to continue in the group.
Another interesting item from self-determination theory is the idea that outside influences can undermine intrinsic motivation. Incentives and support services need to be carefully distributed in order to hold their value as tools for jobseeking.
Also, a major point of the article is that a person is more likely to do something if they consider it fun than if they find it to be a chore (makes sense, doesn't it?). The challenge for employment specialists is to turn job search into something fun.
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Gone fishin'
I'm on vacation, so there won't be any Employment Specialist posts this week. Posting will resume on Monday 3/23.
Thursday, March 12, 2009
A crowded field
At the office Employment Specialist works at in Portland, OR, we are seeing twice the number of visitors that we did last fall, and workshop attendance has risen almost as much.
Reports from around the country signal that this is not isolated to one office:
Workforce Center Sees Increase in Job Seekers (Beaumont, TX)
Workforce center swamped with jobseekers - but not jobs (Mesa, CO)
In other areas, workforce systems are starting to see clearer plans for stimulus money from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act:
Maine gets $12.8 million for work programs
Regional job centers to get federal funds
Reports from around the country signal that this is not isolated to one office:
Workforce Center Sees Increase in Job Seekers (Beaumont, TX)
Workforce center swamped with jobseekers - but not jobs (Mesa, CO)
In other areas, workforce systems are starting to see clearer plans for stimulus money from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act:
Maine gets $12.8 million for work programs
Regional job centers to get federal funds
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Keep on truckin'
The current job market and poor economy overall will equal stressful times for Employment Specialists working directly with frustrated job seekers. In addition to the hard work of motivating and counseling job seekers as the job search stretches onward, Employment Specialists face the burden of feeling like their efforts are not yielding results. All of these factors put Employment Specialists at risk of burning out.
I did some searching and found information on burnout in jobs such as human services, teaching, and counseling. I also found tips for avoiding burnout.
The Addiction Technology Transfer Center (established by SAMHSA in 1993) dedicates part of their website to Burnout and Compassion Fatigue, including definitions, signs/symptoms, and self-care. The site also provides management tips for keeping staff content and productive.
Social Work Burnout provides an overview and links to resources provided by an MSW with firsthand and research knowledge of burnout.
Fried Social Worker is less formal in design but has serious content. It also has lots of self care, humor, and relaxation content.
There is also an interesting journal article (and likely many more) from the Journal of Counseling & Development. Here is the abstract:
The Relationship of Work Environment and Client Contact to Burnout in Mental Health Professionals.
Explored the relationship of the work environment and client contact to scores of mental health professionals on the Emotional Exhaustion, Personal Accomplishment, and Depersonalization subscales of the Maslach Burnout Inventory. Work environments associated with low levels of general burnout were those in which workers were strongly committed to work, coworker relationships were encouraged, and supervisory relationships were supportive.
Journal access is required to read the article. I went through the ERIC database via my Multnomah County Library membership. Haven't visited a library in a while? In addition to saving money vs. buying books, many now provide services such as online journal access and streaming movies and audio.
The findings in this article about commitment to work, coworker relationships and supervisory relationships remind me of an organizational assessment from Marcus Buckingham and Curt Coffman in Breaking All the Rules.
Questions they ask are:
1. Do I know what is expected of me at work?
2. Do I have the materials and equipment I need to do my work right?
3. At work do I have the opportunity to do what I do best every day?
4. In the last seven days, have I recieved recognition or praise for doing good work?
5. Does my supervisor, or someone at work, seem to care about me as a person?
6. Is there someone at work who encourages my development?
7. At work, do my opinions seem to count?
8. Does the mission/purpose of my company make me feel my job is important?
9. Are my co-workers committed to doing quality work?
10. Do I have a best friend at work?
I did some searching and found information on burnout in jobs such as human services, teaching, and counseling. I also found tips for avoiding burnout.
The Addiction Technology Transfer Center (established by SAMHSA in 1993) dedicates part of their website to Burnout and Compassion Fatigue, including definitions, signs/symptoms, and self-care. The site also provides management tips for keeping staff content and productive.
Social Work Burnout provides an overview and links to resources provided by an MSW with firsthand and research knowledge of burnout.
Fried Social Worker is less formal in design but has serious content. It also has lots of self care, humor, and relaxation content.
There is also an interesting journal article (and likely many more) from the Journal of Counseling & Development. Here is the abstract:
The Relationship of Work Environment and Client Contact to Burnout in Mental Health Professionals.
Explored the relationship of the work environment and client contact to scores of mental health professionals on the Emotional Exhaustion, Personal Accomplishment, and Depersonalization subscales of the Maslach Burnout Inventory. Work environments associated with low levels of general burnout were those in which workers were strongly committed to work, coworker relationships were encouraged, and supervisory relationships were supportive.
Journal access is required to read the article. I went through the ERIC database via my Multnomah County Library membership. Haven't visited a library in a while? In addition to saving money vs. buying books, many now provide services such as online journal access and streaming movies and audio.
The findings in this article about commitment to work, coworker relationships and supervisory relationships remind me of an organizational assessment from Marcus Buckingham and Curt Coffman in Breaking All the Rules.
Questions they ask are:
1. Do I know what is expected of me at work?
2. Do I have the materials and equipment I need to do my work right?
3. At work do I have the opportunity to do what I do best every day?
4. In the last seven days, have I recieved recognition or praise for doing good work?
5. Does my supervisor, or someone at work, seem to care about me as a person?
6. Is there someone at work who encourages my development?
7. At work, do my opinions seem to count?
8. Does the mission/purpose of my company make me feel my job is important?
9. Are my co-workers committed to doing quality work?
10. Do I have a best friend at work?
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
And you can get it, if you try
Last week's New Yorker included a good primer on employment and wages during recessions.
James Surowiecki writes about wages increasing in the midst of layoffs, which is a constant he traces back to the Great Depression.
One difference he finds in recent years is that productivity has risen even as employment has fallen. He cites the just-in-time economy -a major shift in recent manufacturing and trade- as allowing increased production without increased investment in labor.
An Oregon workforce analyst recently told a group of Employment Specialists about "jobless recovery" that economists have observed in recent recessions: the economy bounces back more slowly and with fewer jobs than there were before the recession. Surowiecki notes in this article that "while the economy grew at a respectable rate for much of this decade, hiring did not."
For Employment Specialists, this means the long-term challenge of limited opportunities for job seekers, with a small silver lining in that those who find jobs and keep them are likely to see earnings increases over time.
James Surowiecki writes about wages increasing in the midst of layoffs, which is a constant he traces back to the Great Depression.
One difference he finds in recent years is that productivity has risen even as employment has fallen. He cites the just-in-time economy -a major shift in recent manufacturing and trade- as allowing increased production without increased investment in labor.
An Oregon workforce analyst recently told a group of Employment Specialists about "jobless recovery" that economists have observed in recent recessions: the economy bounces back more slowly and with fewer jobs than there were before the recession. Surowiecki notes in this article that "while the economy grew at a respectable rate for much of this decade, hiring did not."
For Employment Specialists, this means the long-term challenge of limited opportunities for job seekers, with a small silver lining in that those who find jobs and keep them are likely to see earnings increases over time.
Natural Born Job Developer
One of my fellow Employment Specialists brought a take-out sandwich back to the office last week, and she started raving about how good it was as soon as she took the first bite. What was the first thing she did after she finished her lunch? She called the restaurant and told them how great the sandwich was.
Another time, we received poor service at a nearby pizza place, and she politely reported that she was used to much better at that restaurant. She didn't make them feel bad or threaten to take her business elsewhere, and she even tipped.
Any time we walk down the street or visit a public place, she runs into 2 or 3 people she knows, because she's met people everywhere and she meets more every day.
She's great at approaching employers, because she really values the work they do and is not afraid to let them know this.
Her personal interest in everyone reminds me of posts I've seen from the Sales by 5 blog. Sales by 5 was one of the consultants working on rebranding a workforce investment board I interacted with in Texas. The team there is also not shy about having meaningful interactions with the places where they shop, eat, and play. Here are some related posts on how they react to good and bad service:
Smart Phones - A Slacker's Enemy
An Open Letter to Steve Wynn And Joy
What Happens After a Mistake Matters Most
Systems Need to Make Sense
Sales by 5 also has advice on getting past the gatekeeper, which can translate from sales to job developing.
Another time, we received poor service at a nearby pizza place, and she politely reported that she was used to much better at that restaurant. She didn't make them feel bad or threaten to take her business elsewhere, and she even tipped.
Any time we walk down the street or visit a public place, she runs into 2 or 3 people she knows, because she's met people everywhere and she meets more every day.
She's great at approaching employers, because she really values the work they do and is not afraid to let them know this.
Her personal interest in everyone reminds me of posts I've seen from the Sales by 5 blog. Sales by 5 was one of the consultants working on rebranding a workforce investment board I interacted with in Texas. The team there is also not shy about having meaningful interactions with the places where they shop, eat, and play. Here are some related posts on how they react to good and bad service:
Smart Phones - A Slacker's Enemy
An Open Letter to Steve Wynn And Joy
What Happens After a Mistake Matters Most
Systems Need to Make Sense
Sales by 5 also has advice on getting past the gatekeeper, which can translate from sales to job developing.
Monday, March 9, 2009
Free services: Monday - Friday
Tuesday, March 10th is Fedex Office's free resume printing day.
Tuesday is also free resume printing day at your local onestops. As is Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday.
When I moved to Portland, I used my neighborhood onestop to copy and fax most of my applications. One day, I was downtown and decided I needed to use Kinko's (now Fedex Office). The bill included network time when I connected my laptop to print my resume and cover letter and then a $1 fax charge plus $1 a page. I had a 2-page resume, a cover letter, and a 6-page application to send. I went back to the onestop after that.
Tuesday is also free resume printing day at your local onestops. As is Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday.
When I moved to Portland, I used my neighborhood onestop to copy and fax most of my applications. One day, I was downtown and decided I needed to use Kinko's (now Fedex Office). The bill included network time when I connected my laptop to print my resume and cover letter and then a $1 fax charge plus $1 a page. I had a 2-page resume, a cover letter, and a 6-page application to send. I went back to the onestop after that.
Changes
Friday's New York Times article "Job Losses Hint at Vast Remaking of Economy" has me thinking about the workforce of the past.
It begins with this assessment of the present:
“These jobs aren’t coming back,” said John E. Silvia, chief economist at Wachovia in Charlotte, N.C. “A lot of production either isn’t going to happen at all, or it’s going to happen somewhere other than the United States. There are going to be fewer stores, fewer factories, fewer financial services operations. Firms are making strategic decisions that they don’t want to be in their businesses.”
And says:
"This dynamic has proved true in past recessions as well, with fading industries pushed to the brink during downturns before others emerged to create jobs when economic growth inevitably resumed."
My questions are:
1. Aside from manufacturing (which is a huge loss), what industries have been lost in the past 50 or 100 years?
2. What were the 10 largest industries (by percent of employment) at regular intervals during the past 100 years?
3. Once we identify those industries that have been lost, which were lost to competition/trade (such as manufacturing moving overseas) and which were lost to obsolescence?
I would appreciate suggestions of workforce history resources that could help answer these questions.
It begins with this assessment of the present:
“These jobs aren’t coming back,” said John E. Silvia, chief economist at Wachovia in Charlotte, N.C. “A lot of production either isn’t going to happen at all, or it’s going to happen somewhere other than the United States. There are going to be fewer stores, fewer factories, fewer financial services operations. Firms are making strategic decisions that they don’t want to be in their businesses.”
And says:
"This dynamic has proved true in past recessions as well, with fading industries pushed to the brink during downturns before others emerged to create jobs when economic growth inevitably resumed."
My questions are:
1. Aside from manufacturing (which is a huge loss), what industries have been lost in the past 50 or 100 years?
2. What were the 10 largest industries (by percent of employment) at regular intervals during the past 100 years?
3. Once we identify those industries that have been lost, which were lost to competition/trade (such as manufacturing moving overseas) and which were lost to obsolescence?
I would appreciate suggestions of workforce history resources that could help answer these questions.
Bob Loblaw's Job Blog
A quick blog post on blogging:
CNN/Careerbuilder gives us 6 job blogs you should be reading.
Businessweek.com's Business Exchange features user-generated links to job-related news and blogs.
The Christian Science Monitor looked at blogs as a job-hunting tool.
CNN/Careerbuilder gives us 6 job blogs you should be reading.
Businessweek.com's Business Exchange features user-generated links to job-related news and blogs.
The Christian Science Monitor looked at blogs as a job-hunting tool.
Sunday, March 8, 2009
Senior Class '09
Here's a Wall Street Journal article on the growing ranks of unemployed senior citizens, which coincides with more older people staying in the workforce.
The article mentions the Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP) and service providers Experience Works and Senior Employment Center (Cleveland).
Writer Clare Anberry reports on the difficulties that seniors have in finding employment, mentioning that seniors have a hard time convincing others that they can work, but she also focuses on physical ailments that limit the abilities of those workers featured in the article. Readers may judge that these seniors aren't working because they aren't capable of fulfilling their job duties. Also, while the article states that the SCSEP only has enough funding to serve 1% of the citizens who may be eligible, there is a larger focus on workers who have spent years in SCSEP programs without progressing to unsubsidized employment.
Older workers are part of the changing workforce, but workforce initiatives such as retraining, IT jobs, and green jobs don't always include objectives for serving the oldest workers.
The article mentions the Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP) and service providers Experience Works and Senior Employment Center (Cleveland).
Writer Clare Anberry reports on the difficulties that seniors have in finding employment, mentioning that seniors have a hard time convincing others that they can work, but she also focuses on physical ailments that limit the abilities of those workers featured in the article. Readers may judge that these seniors aren't working because they aren't capable of fulfilling their job duties. Also, while the article states that the SCSEP only has enough funding to serve 1% of the citizens who may be eligible, there is a larger focus on workers who have spent years in SCSEP programs without progressing to unsubsidized employment.
Older workers are part of the changing workforce, but workforce initiatives such as retraining, IT jobs, and green jobs don't always include objectives for serving the oldest workers.
Away we go
The National Association of Workforce Boards Forum started this weekend in Washington, D.C. Worksystems is blogging from there.
I attended the Forum in 2007, when snowstorms stranded some presenters trying to fly in and made leaving the hotel/convention an adventure.
From that experience and other conventions, I follow these rules:
1. Plan early. It is always better to stay in the hotel that the convention is held in. You'll be more likely to stick around for evening events, it's easier to get to the opening sessions, and you save time by not shuttling between sites.
2. Cover more ground: pick up materials from the presentations you can't attend (sometimes they are available online later), divide staff between presentations if you are going with a group, and if a presentation sounds interesting but doesn't address your project specifically, don't rule it out.
3. Go to the social events in the morning and evening. They provide more time for connections than you have in between sessions. Don't stay out too late.
4. After the first day, dress as comfortably as you can get away with while still looking professional. It'll be easier to make it through the long days.
5. Make use of break times and refreshments for staying focused. Say yes to free ice cream!
6. Leave the office at the office. Check in at established times, if necessary, but try hard not to be interrupted or distracted during the day. Leave the cell phone and laptop in your room if you need to.
7. Make an effort to find out what others do and think, and less of an effort of telling them what you do and think.
8. Don't forget your business cards.
9. When you get home, follow up on presenters and topics by seeking them out online and at the library.
I attended the Forum in 2007, when snowstorms stranded some presenters trying to fly in and made leaving the hotel/convention an adventure.
From that experience and other conventions, I follow these rules:
1. Plan early. It is always better to stay in the hotel that the convention is held in. You'll be more likely to stick around for evening events, it's easier to get to the opening sessions, and you save time by not shuttling between sites.
2. Cover more ground: pick up materials from the presentations you can't attend (sometimes they are available online later), divide staff between presentations if you are going with a group, and if a presentation sounds interesting but doesn't address your project specifically, don't rule it out.
3. Go to the social events in the morning and evening. They provide more time for connections than you have in between sessions. Don't stay out too late.
4. After the first day, dress as comfortably as you can get away with while still looking professional. It'll be easier to make it through the long days.
5. Make use of break times and refreshments for staying focused. Say yes to free ice cream!
6. Leave the office at the office. Check in at established times, if necessary, but try hard not to be interrupted or distracted during the day. Leave the cell phone and laptop in your room if you need to.
7. Make an effort to find out what others do and think, and less of an effort of telling them what you do and think.
8. Don't forget your business cards.
9. When you get home, follow up on presenters and topics by seeking them out online and at the library.
Saturday, March 7, 2009
A healthy workforce system
After writing about how hospital procedures can be transferred to case management, I thought about other ways that workforce development relates to healthcare. Here are some quick illustrations of the workforce-healthcare metaphor:
Onestop career centers see customers who need to regain work health, don't know their options, need intensive immediate assistance, or have suffered work "accidents," such as layoffs. Onestop staff direct customers to other parts of the workforce system after assessment.
Occupational skills training (community colleges, industry-developed training, vocational schools) is accessed by individuals with good work health who want to enhance their abilities or those who need to strengthen their skills.
Workforce investment boards provide direction and explore solutions based on their analysis of system health. Their leadership connects multiple stakeholders.
A healthy system yields productive workers, better business, and stronger communities.
Onestop career centers see customers who need to regain work health, don't know their options, need intensive immediate assistance, or have suffered work "accidents," such as layoffs. Onestop staff direct customers to other parts of the workforce system after assessment.
Occupational skills training (community colleges, industry-developed training, vocational schools) is accessed by individuals with good work health who want to enhance their abilities or those who need to strengthen their skills.
Workforce investment boards provide direction and explore solutions based on their analysis of system health. Their leadership connects multiple stakeholders.
A healthy system yields productive workers, better business, and stronger communities.
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Word on the airwaves
Kai Ryssdal spoke with New York Times columnist David Leonhardt on Marketplace today about the distribution of job losses in the current recession.
Despite the focus on investment bankers and other financial positions, the numbers show the highest job losses are in fields like construction and retail which require less education.
The report asks the question, "Who's hit the worst by the recession?" and answers that it is the less-educated, men, and Latinos.
Despite the focus on investment bankers and other financial positions, the numbers show the highest job losses are in fields like construction and retail which require less education.
The report asks the question, "Who's hit the worst by the recession?" and answers that it is the less-educated, men, and Latinos.
Word on the street
I spoke to a retail manager today while job developing, and he gave this summary of the hiring for a new store:
500 applicants
200 interviews
37 temporary hires
9 out of the 37 will be kept on permanently after the pre-opening work is complete.
A co-worker and I visited 4 employers this afternoon in inner NE Portland. Although none of them are currently hiring, there were bright spots in that 3 of them had made recent hires and the 4th expects to do some hiring in April. Plus, the managers at each place were friendly and helpful. Each invited us to check in periodically and send information on our program.
Job developing (and job search) frequently reminds me of The Endless Summer, in which the stars would reach a surf spot with disappointing waves and be told, "You should have been here yesterday."
500 applicants
200 interviews
37 temporary hires
9 out of the 37 will be kept on permanently after the pre-opening work is complete.
A co-worker and I visited 4 employers this afternoon in inner NE Portland. Although none of them are currently hiring, there were bright spots in that 3 of them had made recent hires and the 4th expects to do some hiring in April. Plus, the managers at each place were friendly and helpful. Each invited us to check in periodically and send information on our program.
Job developing (and job search) frequently reminds me of The Endless Summer, in which the stars would reach a surf spot with disappointing waves and be told, "You should have been here yesterday."
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Good grief
Good magazine posted a video back in January on people turning to medical studies for cash while unemployed.
It's 2 minutes of dark humor.
It's 2 minutes of dark humor.
Check, please.
A stack of clipped articles on my dresser includes The Checklist by Atul Gawande, a New Yorker article from December 2007 about the lives saved in hospitals that implemented checklists to follow for routine procedures.
It is a process similar to pilots' pre-flight checklists which have existed since the 1930's according to the article. The checklist did not start its jump to acceptance in hospital ICU's, however, until 2001, when Peter Provonost started a checklist to tackle a specific infection at Johns Hopkins. Buoyed by strong results (meaning lives saved), Peter has become a champion of checklists. In essence, they work because if you make sure to do all the little steps correctly, the larger goal is completed. Skip one step in a series, however minor, and the project is in jeopardy. Gawande writes:
"...you have a desperately sick patient, and in order to have a chance of saving him you have to make sure that a hundred and seventy-eight daily tasks are done right—despite some monitor’s alarm going off for God knows what reason, despite the patient in the next bed crashing, despite a nurse poking his head around the curtain to ask whether someone could help “get this lady’s chest open.”"
I kept the article for several reasons.
1. A case management checklist can ensure that staff complete their tasks while having the freedom to work without a supervisor looking over their shoulders. Think you can expect staff to do everything they need to with all their customers every time? In his first study, Provonost asked nurses to record doctors' actions in the ICU. They reported that "in more than a third of patients, they skipped at least one [step]."
2. Consistent case management is part of great customer service, and customers should receive equal access to services. Individualized service should be based on the needs and goals determined through standardized assessments and procedures.
3. Workforce development has high stakes. Onestops, community colleges, basic education programs, and other partners can make life-changing impacts on job seekers, employers, and communities.
It is a process similar to pilots' pre-flight checklists which have existed since the 1930's according to the article. The checklist did not start its jump to acceptance in hospital ICU's, however, until 2001, when Peter Provonost started a checklist to tackle a specific infection at Johns Hopkins. Buoyed by strong results (meaning lives saved), Peter has become a champion of checklists. In essence, they work because if you make sure to do all the little steps correctly, the larger goal is completed. Skip one step in a series, however minor, and the project is in jeopardy. Gawande writes:
"...you have a desperately sick patient, and in order to have a chance of saving him you have to make sure that a hundred and seventy-eight daily tasks are done right—despite some monitor’s alarm going off for God knows what reason, despite the patient in the next bed crashing, despite a nurse poking his head around the curtain to ask whether someone could help “get this lady’s chest open.”"
I kept the article for several reasons.
1. A case management checklist can ensure that staff complete their tasks while having the freedom to work without a supervisor looking over their shoulders. Think you can expect staff to do everything they need to with all their customers every time? In his first study, Provonost asked nurses to record doctors' actions in the ICU. They reported that "in more than a third of patients, they skipped at least one [step]."
2. Consistent case management is part of great customer service, and customers should receive equal access to services. Individualized service should be based on the needs and goals determined through standardized assessments and procedures.
3. Workforce development has high stakes. Onestops, community colleges, basic education programs, and other partners can make life-changing impacts on job seekers, employers, and communities.
Monday, March 2, 2009
Temp to perm: becoming indispensable
One of the surprises I encountered in job developing is the number of businesses that hire exclusively through temporary/placement agencies, including surprises such as retailers. In the office, I've heard many complaints from colleagues and customers that follow two general paths:
1. Staffing firms get paid X amount of dollars and only pay you half of it.
2. Staffing firms have it easy, because they can pick and choose their customers
These attitudes reflect mixed feelings about how staffing firms relate to government and non-profit employment programs. Many of us think that they are competitors. Others, including myself on objective and optimistic days, think they are a resource that is essentially the same as any other employer. They have the potential to be even better than a direct-hire employer, because they also have an incentive to make sure job seekers are hired.
These podcasts on employment retention from Express Employment Professionals demonstrate that staffing firms are also committed to making sure that job seekers find job security. Staffing firms need their employees to succeed, because they are part of the product being sold to clients.
Now we're back to the rivalry confusion. Staffing firms are selling their talent. As workforce development agencies, we are selling our talent. The difference is that we can sell our talent to the staffing firms. There is a relationship similar to wholesale and retail, or manufacturer and distributor. Staffing firms benefit from our talent due to the development we have already invested in them as job seekers: training, support services, career counseling and they deserve those benefits as all employers do.
1. Staffing firms get paid X amount of dollars and only pay you half of it.
2. Staffing firms have it easy, because they can pick and choose their customers
These attitudes reflect mixed feelings about how staffing firms relate to government and non-profit employment programs. Many of us think that they are competitors. Others, including myself on objective and optimistic days, think they are a resource that is essentially the same as any other employer. They have the potential to be even better than a direct-hire employer, because they also have an incentive to make sure job seekers are hired.
These podcasts on employment retention from Express Employment Professionals demonstrate that staffing firms are also committed to making sure that job seekers find job security. Staffing firms need their employees to succeed, because they are part of the product being sold to clients.
Now we're back to the rivalry confusion. Staffing firms are selling their talent. As workforce development agencies, we are selling our talent. The difference is that we can sell our talent to the staffing firms. There is a relationship similar to wholesale and retail, or manufacturer and distributor. Staffing firms benefit from our talent due to the development we have already invested in them as job seekers: training, support services, career counseling and they deserve those benefits as all employers do.
Sunday, March 1, 2009
Better working through chemistry
Someone recently told me about an interview she conducted where the candidate gave many intimate details of her life and was horrifyingly candid about her past employer. The candidate was eliminated due to the performance, but the Program Manager conducting the interview was so concerned about the candidate's frankness that she contacted the candidate afterwards to advise her never to do that in an interview again.
Last fall, a job seeker reported to a colleague after an interview that the hiring manager told him on the way out that he shouldn't be so nervous and shy in the future.
Both applicants were lucky to get feedback, because most employers disappear like a bad date.
"I'll call you."
"Don't call us, we'll call you."
"You should hear something in the next week or two."
Susan Kreimer explores the dating metaphor in an article on interview chemistry.
It touches on being personable without being too personal, as well as the focus for "getting the right fit" when hiring.
In this job market, and when working with populations with severe barriers to employment, we need to be generous when determining the right fit: it includes complementary work styles and backgrounds and doesn't mean that all staff are from the same mold.
Last fall, a job seeker reported to a colleague after an interview that the hiring manager told him on the way out that he shouldn't be so nervous and shy in the future.
Both applicants were lucky to get feedback, because most employers disappear like a bad date.
"I'll call you."
"Don't call us, we'll call you."
"You should hear something in the next week or two."
Susan Kreimer explores the dating metaphor in an article on interview chemistry.
It touches on being personable without being too personal, as well as the focus for "getting the right fit" when hiring.
In this job market, and when working with populations with severe barriers to employment, we need to be generous when determining the right fit: it includes complementary work styles and backgrounds and doesn't mean that all staff are from the same mold.
All you really need to know pt. 2
I don't believe that this means that programs such as job training and GED preparation are useless. I agree though that they will not work without instilling fundamental social and behavioral skills in participants.
One challenge I have encountered as an Employment Specialist concerns resume development with job seekers who have erratic work histories. While exploring their experiences, common threads include a lack of lasting relationships with supervisor and coworkers, an indifference to details such as dates and addresses, and an inability to articulate job duties and accomplishments.
Where resume advice states to highlight outstanding achievements, these job seekers draw blanks.
If they bother to list references on applications, they only have personal ones to choose from.
As a tactic to pull out more information, give them an informal job interview. Rather than a mock interview, lead a conversation that asks questions such as "what were you proudest of at your last job?" or "what was hard about that position?" and follow-up until you get an answer that can be translated into an application, resume, and cover letter.
Inc.com has some good questions in their Top Job Interview Questions slideshow. My favorites:
How have you handled the last few difficult customers you've come across?
What is the most significant presentation you've given to clients?
With some tweaking, they can be directed at most job descriptions, and they give your customer the chance to talk about good things they've done.
By casually working through these kinds of questions, you will also begin preparing customers for interviews in a non-threatening manner. Customers should become comfortable speaking about their past jobs and sell themselves without trying to.
It is also important to review soft skills, such as showing up early, saying please and thank you, and writing thank you notes during the application process. For job retention, work on willingness to try new things and take direction, as well as building professional relationships.
Finally, I recognize some overlap between the traits Heckman finds important and the traits that Pixar looks for in their staff.
One challenge I have encountered as an Employment Specialist concerns resume development with job seekers who have erratic work histories. While exploring their experiences, common threads include a lack of lasting relationships with supervisor and coworkers, an indifference to details such as dates and addresses, and an inability to articulate job duties and accomplishments.
Where resume advice states to highlight outstanding achievements, these job seekers draw blanks.
If they bother to list references on applications, they only have personal ones to choose from.
As a tactic to pull out more information, give them an informal job interview. Rather than a mock interview, lead a conversation that asks questions such as "what were you proudest of at your last job?" or "what was hard about that position?" and follow-up until you get an answer that can be translated into an application, resume, and cover letter.
Inc.com has some good questions in their Top Job Interview Questions slideshow. My favorites:
How have you handled the last few difficult customers you've come across?
What is the most significant presentation you've given to clients?
With some tweaking, they can be directed at most job descriptions, and they give your customer the chance to talk about good things they've done.
By casually working through these kinds of questions, you will also begin preparing customers for interviews in a non-threatening manner. Customers should become comfortable speaking about their past jobs and sell themselves without trying to.
It is also important to review soft skills, such as showing up early, saying please and thank you, and writing thank you notes during the application process. For job retention, work on willingness to try new things and take direction, as well as building professional relationships.
Finally, I recognize some overlap between the traits Heckman finds important and the traits that Pixar looks for in their staff.
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